Spring
The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.
はる
The reading for this word is the same as the one you learned with the kanji. Ah, the beauty of spring! Err... はる, I mean.
わたしは虫が苦手だから春はきらいです。
I don't like bugs, so I don't like spring.
「お前のチーム、春の大会ではどうだったの？」「へへ。大勝したっての！」
"How did your team do in the spring tournament?" "Hehe. Epic win."
春巻きという料理に「春」の字が使われているのは、春に芽が出る野菜を使って作る食べ物だかららしいですよ。
I heard the reason the character for "spring" is used for spring roll is because people used to make spring rolls with vegetables that sprout in spring.